I've read Some new and valuable info here on Aloe mite control therapy, the comments about dehrydation of the plant before treatment validates the therapy we've used for the last year.
beautiful image of a unsavory much-hated insect Geoff.
I first began seeing Aloe mite damage soon after we relocated the collection from mountain greenhouses to outside plantings in North San Diego County in 1984.
In the first couple of years, only one plant had it, and we thought it was monstrous growth. I took photos to the SDCSS and showed them around to a few people after I began to believe it was an undesirable pest. Several people thought they would like to have cuttings -- ugh!
Sometime after that I learned it was Aloe mite and was told about the systemic that would rid the plants of it (Cygon 2e) now outlawed by the State of CA. I used cygon for several years till I learned it was outlawed and we had them under control up till we had to stop using Cygon.
Through the years since we have watched with increasing concern many casual growers of landscape Aloes as massive gall grew on the plants infected with the Aloe mite. Last time the USDA (AG) Nursery inspector was at our nursery I asked him if there was any known cure. He had not heard of Aloe Mite. I couldn't show him any at that time because we are constantly on the watch for them and I've developed a pretty good way of controlling them. We happened to be very clean at that time. (we knew the when the inspector was coming).
However, a fact-of-life reality for those who grow many Aloes in our zones is that..if you want to grow them you will need to be vigilant to keep the Aloe Mite under control. Further, I have seen them cross over into at least over a half-dozen or more different succulent genera, though they cannot seem to readily maintain their favorite lifestyle in the other genera.
I don't try to treat an Aloe whenever it is lush. I wait till rainy season is over and if a plant is growing under irrigation, I withhold water for a month. (I just started that tactic of dehydration since the rainy season last year). Then I cut as much of the Gall as possible and maintain extreme sanitary practice during the process. I have a variety of tools that are used in the process. Each of these tools is cleaned with bleach before it is used on another plant. All particles (and it can't be done with creating little pieces) are placed in a bucket with a heavy chlorox concentrate in water.
As soon as I've cleaned all the area and have all evidence of the mite 'castle' removed, I wash a concentrate of 50/50 Outdoor Chlorox (available at HD) and tap water. I dilute all the open wound where the mite occurred.
So far I've had good success (about 75%) using the Chlorox wash method. The ones that had to be treated again after a month or so, may have received irrigation water in the interim. It is difficult to rule it out sometimes. I have treated perhaps 30 or so of the several thousand Aloes in our gardens with this treatment in the last year.
I am constantly on the lookout for the mite and one of my greatest obstacles is the inclination to deny their presence till it is too obvious and has progressed. Early eradication is the best approach.
I currently have 6 landscape Aloes that I know are infected. I don't want to destroy them and I happen to believe while we are having wet weather it is risky to other Aloes to treat them without digging them out. I have on occassion done just that in the even that the whole plant is infected. I also never hesitate to take an infected flower or fruit. I keep heavy chlroinated water in buckets in several places to drop these kinds of plant material.
I have suspicions that the mite or its eggs can live in damp soil for an extended period. I also have come to theorize that ants have developed a symbiotic relationship. Ants feed protein and nectar to their queens, while the workers subsist on nectar/sugar. If they want to make new queen they feed protein to their larvae. The mite is a bite of protein to them.
I don't use systemics much anymore though I have BAyers, I seldom use it and never for the mite. The most potent chemicals in my arsenal are Malathion and Sevin. I use those almost exclusively for Argentine Ants around Aloes and Agave whenever I am unable to bait them with boric solution. We have good control of Ants. AG Inspector told me ours was the cleanest nursery he had seen. 98% or our insect control is by organic means. That's one of the few things I can legitimately brag about. It takes lots of work and constant motivation and vigilance.
bob
|